Orthodontic band lock



Jan. 4,1927. 11,13,111

J. A. LINDE ORTHODONTICBAND LOCK Filed Dec. 18 1925 'FIGG1WYA,A

Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

ICE.

JOHN A. LINDE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ORTHODONTIC BAND LOCK.

Application filed December 18, 1925. Serial no. 76,215.

This invention relates to arch band locks used in orthodontia, and especially to the class wherein a tooth band may be rovided with a block and an arch wire wit1 a lock 5 frame having a hinged latch adapted to project into a slot on one portion of said block member and retain the same in assembly with the arch.

The main object of my invention is to pro- I vide a lock of the character described which is instant in its action, so simple and yet so positive that no special tools whatever are required in order to lock or release the same.

Another object is to provide a lock as I! mentioned which is inexpensive to manufacture and therefore reasonable in price, to allow of its general use in order to improve the practice of orthodontia.

In the accompanying drawing, forming 20 part hereof,

Fig. 1 is a view of a fragment of an arch wire connected to a tooth band by means of a lock which fully embodies the novel structure of my invention.

N Fig. 2 is a view of the lock frame of the former view, with the latch raised to reveal its relation to the frame.

Fig. 3 is a view of the securing block of the first View, being adapted to be soldered 80 to a tooth band and to be engaged by the lock frame and latch.

Fig. 4 is a view of the latch of the first two views.

Throughout the views, the same reference 85 characters indicate the same parts.

It is often found difiicult to readily secure an arch band to an arch in such a manner that the band may be subsequently easily released for cleaning or for alteration.

40 In order to facilitate such a procedure. it is proposed to interpose a separable lock between the arch wire and the band of a con struction which will appear forthwith.

The lock frame 1 is secured to a suitable 4B arch wire 2 in any manner which appeals to the dentist. and is provided with a latch 3 which is pivoted at 4 and is adapted to close down into a slot 9. The frame, moreover, is also provided with an oblong opening 11 60 wherein the slot 9 extends down as a side slot 10 into which projection 8 of the latch is adapted to fit in closed position. 0 0- site this slot is in the same opening a riii 12 which may cooperate with portion 8 when desired. It is, of course, obvious that slot 9 and slot 10 are continuous with each other,

and, that latch 3 is simply located in the slot by means of the pivot 4 passing through its aperture 16.

The lock has a complementary member in the form of a securing block 5, the latter being widened into a backing which may be secured to atooth band by means of solder or by brazing. This block is formed with a groove 13 at one extremity, while a similar groove is provided in the other extremity at 14. It is but necessary to insert the block into the opening 11 of the lock frame until the outer surfaces are flush, when the latch may be lowered into closed position, when the projection 8 will fall into slot 13 and force the block over so that the other slot 14 is retained by rib 12. However, this rib 12 may be omitted without material injury to my invention, and re erve the right to do so at will.

In order to release the arch from the band, it is but necessary to engage the tip of point 7 of the latch with a sharp instrument to raise the latch, and the block and its connected arch wire are free. Moreover, this process of locking and releasing the engaged parts in the manner described may be repeated indefinitely, and yet the parts will be perfectly rigid in assembly each time the latch is closed. The convenience of my invention is therefore as apparent as its utility. 1

Having now fully described my invention,

I claim 1. An orthodontic appliance lock comprising a frame member adapted to be secured to an arch wire and having a horizontal aperture therethrough, a latch pivoted in a slot in said frame adapted in one extreme position to project into said frame aperture, and a corresponding block adapted to fit said frame aperture.

2. An orthodontic arch lock comprising a frame having a horizontally pivoted latch, a tooth band block adapted to fit into an aperture in said frame. and a projection upon said latch adapted to project into a slot in said block when said latch is in closed position.

3. An orthodontic arch lock comprising a lock frame, a block adapted to project horizontally into said frame, a latch horizontally pivoted in said frame adapted when in open raised position to project beyond the outline of said frame and when in extreme closed position to fold into the outline of the frame and project into aportion of said block to retain the same in assembly with said frame.

4. An orthodontic arch lock comprising a frame member having a pivoted latch therein, a tooth band block adapted to project into said frame, a rib in said frame adapted to project into a portion of said block and a projection on'said latch ada ted to project into another portion of sai block when said latch is in closed position. V

In testimony whereof, I, J OHN A. LINDE, have signed m name to this specification this sixteenth ay of December, 1925.

JOHN A. LINDE. 

